Game apparatus.



No. 797,675. IA'IENTED AUG. 22, 1905. H. M. FLETCHER.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.4,1904.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1905.

Applicati n fil d February 4, 1904. Serial No. 192,061.

To all whom it Hui/y concern:

Be it known that I, HUG-H M. FLETCHER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game apparatus which is adapted to be arranged for playing either table hockey or what is known as tonyom and theobject of the same is to provide a simple and effective form of amusement for a varying number of players, the game including an organization of elements which are removable and replaceable by others and also capable of being reduced to compact form for transportation and storage; and, further, to embody in a game means for encouraging accuracy in determining and pursuing shots under different conditions similar to those games involvingcushion or other plays wherein a resistance-point or rigid obstruction is utilized for the purpose of deflection.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will he more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the game board and attachments therefor arranged to play the game known as tonyon. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through a portion of one end of the boardshown by Fig. 1, illustrating a pocket or cavity cover or shield used in connection therewith. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the attachments shown on the board illustrated by Fig. 1. Fig. t is a transverse vertical section through one of the playingpieces shown arranged for use on the board illustrated by Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the device used for moving the playing-pieces in both games.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a board of suitable dimensions having a surrounding rail 2 projecting at an elevation thereabove suiii' ciently to prevent the disengagement ofthe playing-pieces from the upper surface or field of the board. If the side and end members of the surrounding rail 2 are made thick enough in the first instance, it will be unnecessary to supply the same with additions for the reception of attachments hereinafter explained; but in the present instance the outer portions of the side and end members of the rail at the center have enlargements 8, provided with vertical sockets opening out through their upper ends. In the center of the playing-field a starting-spot 4- is applied by suitable means to render it easily distinguishable, and at-opposite ends, at a suitable distance from the end members of the rail, the field also has thereon starting-spots t. The opposite ends of the board, at the center and close to the end members of the rail 2, have pockets or cavities 5, which are formed by cutting away the upper portion of the board. These pockets have covers or shields 6, re movabl y disposed thereover and open at their inner extremities to give access to said pockets, said shields being removably fitted in sockets 9 adjacent to the inner corners of the pockets.

Further attachments for use in connection with the board and removably applicable thereto include a central arch having'uprights 16 attached at their upper terminals to the opposite ends of a cross-piece 17, which is adapted to extend fully over the playing-field in a transverse direction. The uprights 16 and the cross-piece 17 may be secured in any suitable manner, and the center of the piece 17 is formed with a circular enlargement 18, having an opening 19 therethrough. Depending from the straight members of the cross-piece 1.7 and the central enlargement 18 are hangers 20. (Shown on an enlarged scale by Fig. 3.) Each hanger consists of -a depending straight shank 21, continuing into a lower crook 22, having a straight point 23, the crooks and points being disposed at an angle to the shank and arranged in a horizontal plane. Some of the hangers have the pointed ends of their crooks directed toward one end of the board, and the remaining hangers have their pointed ends and crooks directed toward the opposite end of the board, so that the playing-pieces, which will be presently explained, may operatively engage the said hangers when shot from opposite extremities of the board. All of the hangers depend equally and within engaging position with respect to the playing-pieces. Removably fitted in the sockets of the end enlargements 3 are supporting-uprights 24L with upper crooked ends 25, which are turned inwardly and adapted to receive the eyes of the playing-pieces, hereinafter described, when said playingpieces are shot toward the uprights.

The playing-pieces used in the two games are practically the same, with a variation, as noted by Fig. 4, in the form of an addition. Each playing-piece 26 is similar to the puck used in hockey, and consists of a spool-like body 27, having a screw-threaded socket 28 opening out through the upper end thereof and a rubber or analogous buffer 29 fitted between the heads of the body and projecting outwardly beyond the perimeters of the latter. These playing-pieces may be of any number, and the dimensions of each are such as to cause it to maintain a proper position on the upper surface or playing-field of the board during play, and to assist in maintaining the playing-pieces in proper position on the board the weight of the elastic buffer 29 is utilized. The playing-pieces are circular in form and have such an extended bearing on the playing-field that they will not turn over on their edges and roll. The playingpiece shown by Fig. 4: is complete for use in connection with the game played on the board illustrated by Fig. 1, said playing-piece having removably fitted in the socket 28 thereof an attaching member consisting of a shank 30 with a lower screw-threaded end and an upper eye 31, a piece of colored flannel or other material 32 being secured in said eye and rising above the latter to provide a marker. The device used for imparting movement to the several playing-pieces is also similar to the hockey-stick and consists of a handle 33 of suitable length attached at one end to the center of the convex side of a curved head 34:. The head 3 will have in operation a width equal to the thickness of the buffer 29 of each playing-piece or puck, so that the said head will fully cover the thickness of the buffer when applied to a playing-piece to make a shot.

As before indicated, two games may be played on the same board by the application of different attachments, and in both games the board is held upon a table or other suitable flat rest at a proper elevation. By removing the cross-piece 17 and placing the shields 6 in position, as shown in Fig. 2, the board is adapted for playing what is known as table-hockey.

In playing the game known as tonyon the shields or covers are detached, and the arch is applied by fitting the uprights 16 thereof into the sockets of the side enlargements, and the supporting-uprights 2a are disposed in the end enlargements. Each player or a number of players on opposite sides will have a number of the playing-pieces set forth distinguished by markers of different colors, which are applied to the pieces through the medium of the attaching members heretofore explained. Each player in regular turn alternately at opposite ends of the board disposes his playing-piece on the adjacent starting-spot at the end of the board,

and by means of the hockey-stick, heretofore explained. shoots said piece toward any one of the lower crooked extremities of the hangers, with its pointed end disposed toward him, care being taken to have the eye 31 move straight toward the pointed end of the hanger to be engaged. The eyes 31 of the several playing-pieces in playing this game known as tonyon will be at such elevation as to readily engage the lower crooked extremities of the hangers when the shot is properly performed. If the player fails to effect an engagement of his playing-piece with the hanger toward which the shot has been made, a player on the opposing side then places one of his pucks in position and likewise shoots it toward one of the hangers. The object of the game is to cause all the playing-pieces to engage the lower crooked extremities of the hangers, and various positions of the said pieces on the board after failure to engage the same with the said crooked extremities will render the playing complex. The cavities or pockets at the end of the board render this game more difiticult, for the reason that if one of the players pieces is shot into either pocket it is manually removed and one point is counted in favor of the opposing player. Various other rules will be adopted in playing the game to govern the number of playing-pieces or pucks used by each player and the counts.

Both games may be varied in proportions, and all the parts will be made in corresponding dimensions. lVhen the game-board is not in use, the several attachments may be disconnected and stored within the board or in separate devices for the purpose.

Having thus fully described the invention, I

what is claimed as new is 1. A game apparatus consisting of a board havinga removable series of hangers arranged thereover and each comprising a depending portion provided with a lower crooked extremity, the extremities of the different hangers being disposed in reverse directions, and playing pieces having attaching members with openings therein to fit over the said extremities.

2. A game-board having starting-spots at its opposite extremities, a series of hangers suspended over the center of the board and each comprising a depending portion provided with a lower bent extremity, and slidable playing-pieces having upright attaching members with openings therein to fit over said extremities, colored markers being secured to the upright attaching members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUGH M. FLETCHER.

W itnesses:

E. N. GUNsAULUs, A. E. MERNER. 

